Introduction
As we see in Youthful Glory: Drama Info and Recap Episodes 11 to 20, Jiang Xu and the others enter the enemy lair in Lingzhou to bring down the mastermind of all the officials’ corruption and power struggles in the Capital. How will they resolve the issues? Will they, along with their friends, survive and be able to live peacefully and happily?
Recap Episodes 21 to 30
Episode 21
Ming Tan buys a lot of high-quality stuff, and the news about this wealthy merchant’s daughter reaches Su Er Rong, Chancellor Su’s daughter, who is a powerful figure in Lingzhou. After the shopping spree, Ming Tan, now her name is Miss He, visits a tea house. There, she meets Wen Zong, a merchant who is discussing business with a local merchant. Wen Zong is not happy with the bad quality of the fabrics he wants to buy. Ming Tan knows about fabrics, so she shares her insight. Wen Zong is impressed with her knowledge, she saves him from buying low-quality products. He wants to know more about her. The Lingzhou merchant is angry at Ming Tan because his business deal didn’t go through. He sends his men to attack Ming Tan. She only has one guard to defend against the attackers, but Wen Zong helps them.
Meanwhile, the Su Family from Lingzhou is treating Jiang Xu and Shu Jing Ran with a welcome banquet, and Su Er Rong brings in beautiful girls to trap the guys. But the trap doesn’t work, instead, the guys hold the people in a banquet, while Jiang Xu’s subordinates look for Yun Yi. Finally, she’s found, bloody and hanging unconscious, but still alive. The leader of the mysterious Haiyou sect is none other than Mr Yu Bo Zhong, Director of Lingzhou Maritime Trade Bureau and Su Er Rong’s lover.
Yay, Zhang Huai Yu is still alive. He got injured in Lingzhou by the Haiyou sect, and is still stuck in this city. To people in the capital, Jiang Xu lies that Huai Yu is dead. To people in Lingzhou, the Su family, he lies that Huai Yu has gone back to the Capital.
Jing Ran brings Yun Yi back to the inn where they stay, and Ming Tan tends to her wounds. Luckily, they’re only superficial. Jing Ran is so stressed with Yun Yi’s condition that he begs Jiang Xu and Ming Tan to free her from being Jinyun’s guards because he loves Yun Yi. However, neither Jiang Xu nor Ming Tan can decide for Yun Yi. Jing Ran has to ask Yun Yi directly. Ming Tan advises Jing Ran to think and plan about their future, especially, will his parents agree? They leave Jing Ran alone to think about his future with Yun Yi.
Episode 22
Jiang Xu asks Ming Tan’s guard about his wife’s day, and he finds out about Wen Zong. He doesn’t want to ask Ming Tan directly about Wen Zong. Instead, he hints to her if she encountered anyone who gave her trouble. Ming Tan assures her husband she doesn’t have any problem with anyone. Yay, Ming Tan no longer wants to be a damsel in distress who always depends on her husband’s rescue. After checking his background, apparently this man is connected to Su Family, so he is probably also involved in the smuggling business. Ming Tan also finds out that her nasty sister, Ming Chu lives here. Oh my God, I thought the drama got rid of her for good when she was married off.
Jing Ran becomes Jinyun’s secret messenger now. Yun Yi teaches how he finds the secret marks. The Jinyun guards know what Jing Ran looks like. He secretly exchange message because he’s followed by spies.
Jiang Xu and Miss He, aka his wife, meet, and Su Er Rong feels happy because they are distinguished guests. She invites these two people to a banquet, and Wen Zong is also invited. Wen Zong is interested in Miss He, so he asks her a lot of questions. Jiang Xu is jealous, lol.
Episode 23
Su Er Rong then pretends she has an urgent family matter and leaves her guests. She sends a pretty girl to serve Jiang Xu and seduces him in front of his wife’s eyes. Ming Tan is also matched with Wen Zong. Jiang Xu is angry at Wen Zong, so he challenges Wen Zong to a drinking contest. Ming Tan is also jealous of the pretty girl who is now touchy-feely with Jiang Xu. She bids them farewell and leaves. But she asks the servant to prepare hangover soup for both men, with a lot of vinegar, lol. Later, she takes the drunk Jiang Xu home.
Jiang Xu’s plan is sowing discord between Su Er Rong and Yu Bo Zhong. Jiang Xu pretends to collide with Yu Bo Zhong instead. Meanwhile, Su Er Rong is informed of his lover’s betrayal. She sends her guards, and together with Jiang Xu’s guards, they capture Yu Bo Zhong and his men. Many died or were wounded, unfortunately, Yu Bo Zhong escaped
In the morning, Ming Tan had already gone and left Jing Ran to deal with the grumpy Jiang Xu. Especially, when Jing Ran, who doesn’t know about Wen Zong, informs Jiang Xu that Miss He is going to find Wen Zong. Ming Tan goes to have tea with Wen Zong, which worries the Jinyu guard who is with her. Jiang Xu follows Miss He and Wen Zong, and this action is found out by Su Er Rong. So far, she only thinks that Jiang Xu likes Miss He.
Bound together by roasted chicken
While Jiang Xu and Ming Tan are entangled in a ‘love square’ and jealousy, Jing Ran and Yun Yi have a good time roasting chicken together. Jing Ran learned how to roast chicken from his family cook, and Yun Yi never roasts chicken. Shu Jing Ran might be a nerd, but sure he knows how to chase a girl and be romantic… The best of the three guys. I hope for an endgame for Miss Drumstick and Mr Flowery, because they’re so cuuute!
Episode 24
Jiang Xu plans to trick the spies into thinking that Jing Ran and Yun Yi will meet Zhang Huai Yu. Jing Ran and Yun Yi deliberately fight in the hallway of the inn so everyone will hear them arguing. But Jin Ran takes Yun Yi’s ‘accusation’ personally, that he can’t roast chicken properly. When Yun Yi said in the inn was actually the opposite, he’s happy again.
Since Su Er Rong thinks that Jiang Xu likes Miss He, she sets up a romantic environment and tricks them into being together, so she can use the infidelity card later against Jiang Xu. Su Er Rong doesn’t know that she sets him up with his own wife. Jiang Xu has taken out Zhang Huai Yu; if not, he would love to consummate his marriage to Ming Tan right there! So after kissing his wife, Jiang Xu goes to take Huai Yu out. Yay, finally, we see Huai Yu again!
After making their spies tired of following Jing Ran, who drives the cart around and around, Yun Yi is able to defeat them. However, Jing Ran feels useless because Yun Yi has been protecting him again and again. Yun Yi says, everyone has their own strength. She praises him for being quick-witted and good with words. When she says they complement each other, he’s relieved.
Su Er Rong finally realizes that she’s been tricked by Jing Ran and Yun Yi, because Jing Ran drove his cart around several times, and when the spies were tired, Yun Yi took them down. Now they’re all tied up behind their cart. Su Er Rong runs to the room where Jiang Xu and Miss He are supposed to be. She finds them sitting solemnly far from each other. Miss He questions why she finds Prince of Dingbei there when she’s waiting for Miss Su? Su Er Rong reasons that she invited them to the banquet before, but she couldn’t be there. Now she invites them again, but she’s occupied again. Miss He coldly says that since the Prince of Dingbei is married, she doesn’t like him, as she wants a true love that lasts for a long time. Miss He then leaves.
What actually happens is that, besides kissing, Jiang Xu has time to sneak out and take Zhang Huai Yu out, and discuss some things with Ming Tan. Chancellor Su sends his daughter a painting of Ming Tan. Fortunately, it’s intercepted. However, later, Su Er Rong receives a letter stating that the Princess of Dingbei is not in the Capital and that she is most likely in Lingzhou. Jiang Xu is deeply concerned about his wife’s safety, despite Ming Tan’s investigation not yet being completed, and the upcoming auction may provide a crucial clue. He wants them to wrap up everything soon.
Episode 25
In the Su Family auction, Ming Tan finds out that it is just a cover-up for the smuggling of goods.
Jiang Xu holds a banquet with people from the Lingzhou Maritime Trade Bureau and urges them to be loyal to the court and provide evidence of past corruption. While serving food, a maid gives him a hint and tells him her name is Qiu Yue. Jiang Xu remembers Zhang Huai Yu mentioning her name as an informant and that she would provide him with a list of the people who received bribes from the Su family, but they got attacked.
Su Er Rong sends Qing Yu, the courtesan appointed to serve Jiang Xu, to lure the deputy of the Lingzhou Maritime Trade Bureau, who sides with the court, and kills him. Then she set up a crime scene that seems Jiang Xu killed the deputy and drugged her, too.
When the auction ends, Miss He challenges Wen Zong about his smuggling business. Wen Zong is surprised by her bravery and asks what if he wants to silence her. At that moment, the Emperor’s imperial guards barged in with the Emperor’s token to arrest everyone in the auction house.
The imperial inspector also comes to Lingzhou to take over the case against Jiang Xu, citing that he’s a royal member after all. Qing Yu suddenly testifies in favor of Jiang Xu/against the Su family. Qiu Yue, the girl who supposedly gave the list to Zhang Huai Yu before he got attacked, also shows up.
Episode 26
Qiu Yue testifies about the official who gave her the list of the people whom the Su family bribes. The list is tattooed on her back! The deputy of the Lingzhou Maritime Trade Bureau is not dead, either. Qing Yu faked his death.
However, Su Er Rong still has a lot of assassins. They try to kill Ming Tan, who is on her way to meet Jiang Xu after she presided over the smuggling case. Of course, Jiang saves his wife! The fighting scene is cool, especially watching Jiang Xu jump onto the carriage and shoot everyone with arrows!
Episode 27
Although Su Er Rong and her guards are captured and her smuggling business is revealed, she still has nothing to do with her father, Chancellor Su’s doing. He purposely severed ties when he became official and took his daughte’r’s name out of the family registry when she got married. No smuggling income or profit goes to the Chancellor’s account, nor any correspondence.
Min Min finally reunites with Zhang Huai Yu! In the Beiyou House, she is bullied by that fat nobleman who wanted to molest Ming Tan before. He’s pissed because Min Min locked the nasty princess with him. That guy still thinks that Huai Yu is dead, and Prince of Dingbei is charged with murder. Huai Yu finally arrives and fights the nobleman’s men. Later, Huai Yu says that with the merit he did back in Lingzhou, he will propose marriage to Min Min’s father. The bickering back and forth about whether each will marry the other or not is so cute.
Ming Tan and Jiang Xu finally consummate their marriage after she elaborately set up a romantic fireworks display with the help of Yun Yi and Jing Ran.
Liu Mo confesses to his involvement in all the official bribery, but because of his loyalty to Chancellor Su, he bears the crimes as his alone. However, the Emperor investigates his background and finds out that his father was the messenger who committed suicide back then. Because the father fell asleep at his job, the message was delayed, and Dingbei Garrison was defeated. It turns out the father was drugged, and later his suicide was orchestrated. The father was framed by none other than Chancellor Su, who at that time had just become the prime minister. The Emperor goes to the jail where Liu Mo is imprisoned to tell him this fact.
Episode 28
Because Liu Mo confesses to Chancellor Su’s crimes, the latter is arrested. However, before his arrest, he executes his final plan that collaborates with a foreign country, Nanlu. The prince of Nanlu is none other than Wen Zong. He abducted Tang Min and wants to take her as his wife.
The Capital is in chaos. Everyone protects the Capital.
Episode 29
Huh, this episode is a mess, and things don’t make sense. It’s like the screenwriters want to put stuff from the novel in just an episode. If you don’t want to watch it, it’s fine.
Marquis of Jing’an disguises himself as a General from the North who comes back to the garrison where Ming Tan is held by Prince Nanlu. Okay, this is confusing. Somehow, Ming Tan is able to talk to the Prince, and he kills his own trusted aide who’s holding Ming Tan, and kills himself.
Ming Tan rescues her half-sister and forgives her. Ming Chu reunites with their father. Ming Tan even washed her sister’s hair??? I can’t believe this!
With the Capital in chaos, the prisoners are freed also. Liu Mo goes to Chancellor Su’s house and kills him. However, he and Su’s trusted aide kill each other.
The only good thing is seeing Prince of Dingbei with his armor and long hair! He guards the Emperor, who wants to trap the rebellious general who works together with Chancellor Su.
Song Wei Long behind-the-scene for this episode
Episode 30
The aftermath. With some deaths after the rebellion and officials being stripped of their statuses due to their connections with Chancellor Su, there are vacancies everywhere for official positions. The Emperor specifically worries about Lingzhou because of its maritime importance, and also that Lingzhou has been in Su Family’s control for decades. It will take years to clean their mess and rebuild the area. The Emperor is mad at Jiang Xu because he’s now become his wife’s puppet. Enter Jing Ran, who offers himself to go to Lingzhou to become the Governor of Lingzhou and rebuild the place. It will be a long-term task. The Emperor asks if Jing Ran consulted this with his father. Jing Ran says that his life used to be arranged by his father. Now, he wants to be independent. The Emperor is so impressed that he asks what motivates him to make this life decision. Jing Ran says that he fell in love with a lady of a different social status. With this position, he wants to prove himself worthy not by status but by merit. The Emperor gives his permission but leaves gloomily. Although His Majesty is happy that Jing Ran takes the important position, he’s also sad that he loses such a talented man.
Jing Ran tells Yun Yi about his decision and asks her to go with him. Yun Yi struggles and hesitates to follow him, finally she says to him that they’re just friends. While Yun Yi is thinking about Jing Ran, Ming Tan gives her love advice. She also tells Yun Yi that when Yunyi was captured by the bad guys, Jing Ran was in panic to rescue Yun Yi, and even asked Jiang Xu to release Yun Yi from being a Jinyu Guard. He really cares and loves her.
To release Yun Yi from her current Jinyun Guard duty protecting Ming Tan, Jiang Xu gives her a long-term task to accompany Jing Ran to build Lingzhou. Ming Tan prepares a lot of stuff for Yun Yi, her maids comment that it’s like Ming Tan prepares for Yun Yi’s dowry. But Yun Yi doesn’t want to have an emotional farewell with them. She quietly leaves with Jing Ran.
In the end, Jiang Xu and Ming Tan have a boy and a girl. Bai Min Min and Zhang Huai Yu also got married and have a boy. Marquis Jing’an it’s also there with his grandkids. Everyone enjoys the fireworks during the holiday. THE END.
Conclusion
What a wholesome, happy ending, especially for our three cute couples. This kind of ending is a relief from the bizarre plot towards the end, a rarity in historical Chinese dramas. In the end, Youthful Glory ( 韶华若锦 ) is a light-hearted drama to be enjoyed without the seriousness of plot and logic. It serves as an escape from the stress of watching serious or dark dramas.
